Method for blending textile fibers



April 28, 1953 R. c. wlLKlE 2,636,222

METHOD FOR BLENDING TEXTILE FIBERS Filed April l, 1950 2 SHEETS- SHEET l .SX l w E @s/ C IMM; Zy en April 28, 1953 RQ c. wlLK|E METHOD FOR BLENDING TEXTILE FIBERs 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 1, 1950 200mmv SWK B m om am. omumom.

The shearing is accomplished by rolls a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e which bear on the top bers of the laminated sheet and have a greater peripheral speed than the surface of apron I4 on which the bottom fibers of the laminated sheet rest and which is supported by rolls '6, 6a, 6b, llic, and 6d and by nose piece Ila. Further shearing is accomplished in the same manner by rolls I5a, I5b, I 5c, I5d, and I5e and by apron 24 which is supported by rolls I6, I 6a, IiBb, I 6c and I6d and by nose piece 24a. The drafting is accomplished by the greater surface speed of the rolls and aprons by which the fibers of the laminated sheet are successively engaged. The rolls of roll pair I5, I6 are driven at a higher speed than the rolls of roll pair 5, B

thereby drafting the sheet. Similarly, the rolls of roll pair 9, I0 are driven at a higher speed than the rolls of roll pair I5, I6 therebyfurther drafting the sheet. As further described in said patent, the diagonal roll I2, Fig. 3, then rolls the sheet on itself, While the latter is still travelling forward, to produce a sliver, composed of the laminated sheets, Wound helically on itself, as represented by the cross-section shown in Fig. 4. One shaded area (diagonal lines ascending to the left) represents the synthetic fibers and the other shaded area (diagonal lines ascending to the right) the wool. Due to the fact that both sheets of fibers are very thin and subjected to a drafting While in a superimposed position relative to each other, there is a substantial amount of comingling of unlike fibers at or about the plane of their coincidence.

Then the helically wound sheets are drawn through trumpet I3 and may be subjected to the action of drafting rolls (not shown) in subsequent operations in which the nip of said drafting rolls is perpendicular to the axis of the helix, further increasing the homogeneity of the blend.

Furthermore, a very accurate control of the'percentage blend is maintained by providing means for adjusting the surface speeds of rolls I and 2 in very small increments to provide accurate control over the relative amounts of the different fibers making up the blend, thus avoiding the necessity of reprocessing the slivers fed, or of giving special handling to the Wool sliver before blending. Any of the standard Wool slivers may be used directly.

Provision is also made for controlling the maximum length of the natural fibers passed through rolls I and 2. In the event the natural ber contains fibers exceeding the desired length, the distance between rolls I and 2 can be set at the maximum length required, so that all the fibers exceeding the distance between rolls I and 2 are broken.

In some cases it may be advantageous to actually cut the fibers to a maximum length, in which case rolls I and 2 are placed in the alternate position 3-A, the slivers reduced to the correct weight, and then passed through the cutting rolls 4. In the latter case, the synthetic bers and the natural fibers meet at the nip of rolls 4 and are cut simultaneously.

I claim:

1. A method of blending bers of different characteristics comprising forming the fibers of one characteristic into a sheet of fibers, cutting said fibers into lengths arranged in sheet form, forming the fibers of another characteristic into a sheet of fibers, superimposing said last named sheet of bers upon said rst named sheet of fibers, shearing and drafting the fibers of said superimposed sheets, forming said sheets into a helical roll and delivering said helical roll in sliver form.

2. A method of blending fibers of different characteristics comprising forming the fibers of one characteristic into a sheet of fibers, cutting said fibers into lengths arranged in sheet form, drafting the fibers of another characteristic to form said fibers into a sheet of bers, superimposing said last named sheet of bers upon said rst named sheet of fibers, shearing and drafting the fibers of said superimposed sheets, forming said sheets into a helical roll and delivering said helical roll in sliver form.

ROBERT C. WILKIE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 2,434,887 Repass et al. Jan. 20, 1948 2,438,469 Wilkie Mar. 23, 1948 

